PASSAGE HAWKS 85 



their nature, becomes almost a component part of it. But, as 

 they learn quickly to do well, so they also learn quickly how to 

 do otherwise. If you do not make a friend of your pupil, she 

 will soon begin to regard you as an enemy. And then farewell 

 to any hope of making a good servant of her. 



" Manning " includes, of course, habituating her to the com- 

 pany not only of men, but also of dogs, horses, and all other 

 animals and things which she is at all likely to meet with in her 

 artificial existence of the future. She must be gradually intro- 

 duced into society; and,like a young lady of fashion, her d^but will 

 probably be made at nighttime. Streets more or less frequented 

 may be visited with advantage by gaslight, or under the rather 

 weird rays of the electric light. The extent of the publicity 

 courted must be graduated according to the progress made by 

 the debutante. If the main street is found too noisy or exciting, 

 walk away down the side street. If that is too monotonous, 

 stroll into an inn-yard or a billiard-room. When my lady 

 shows signs of shying at an approaching object, sheer off a 

 little, and create a diversion of some kind, perhaps by giving a 

 pull at the meat under her foot, or by stroking her gently on 

 the breast with the forefinger or a stick. If she strikes at the 

 finger, do not snatch it away, but let her see that no harm is 

 meant. You may even tell her so in a reassuring voice. She 

 will partly understand. Then, when she can be taken without 

 trouble through a pretty well-filled street, or amongst a group 

 of people, she may be brought out by daylight. She may be 

 carried through the stables and across a courtyard in which 

 dogs are chained up. Then past a group of stable-boys, and 

 along the side of a kennel. Meal-times are the best for all 

 these early lessons, which must be advanced by easy stages. 

 First the under-falconer will stand by, perhaps with another 

 hawk, as the pupil takes her dinner. Next day he may be 

 accompanied by a horse or a hound — of undemonstrative and 

 unemotional temperament. On the third day a group of chil- 

 dren may be playing at a short distance. Then the tutor 

 himself may be mounted when he takes off my lady's hood 

 and produces the day's ration. At each sign of real alarm the 

 irritant object should be eliminated. If the stable is found too 

 trying, step aside into the harness-room. If the children make 

 too much noise, or begin to stare too impudently at the scornful 

 beauty, get away to a safer distance. Tempt her forbearance 

 as far as you safely dare, but not an inch farther. Festina lente 

 is a capital maxim for the impatient trainer. 



Should a half-trained passage hawk ever be pegged out at 



